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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Mar 2005 : 01:44:20
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Hello, all. Housekeeping time again, as Ed makes brief replies:
To Gareth Yaztromo: our lovely Lady Hooded got everything just right in her reply to you. A Chosen isn’t a Magister, though a few Chosen have in their pasts been Magister (before becoming Chosen). None of which should be confused with Magisters in Waterdeep and elsewhere who are judges, not necessarily arcane spellcasters or anything to do with Mystra at all.
To Verghityax: still hunting them down. I’ve made contact with one who believes Elturel is still encumbered by a contract whose duration hasn’t run out yet (in other words, a company that purchased a license from TSR may still have some time to use Elturel, though they likely won’t). If this is the case, I’m afraid it’s NDA time for me. Regarding Baldur’s Gate’s legal code: I can’t say anything at all (NDA), but I CAN speak about Secomber, so I’ll get to work on that for you.
To koka-bold lich: I don’t think anyone can be absolutely certain about Benadi’s fate, but he’s dropped entirely out of sight, and it’s highly likely that Hoondatha is correct: he was destroyed along with almost all baneliches when Fzoul snatched their power from them.
To Dargoth: I did up (2nd Edition) all sorts of faith-specific curses. Some were handed in to TSR and thus are behind the great NDA wall, but I’ll look through my notes and see what I can pass on here, okay?
To Skeptic: I hope to see something new on the Moonsea right along with you, but please bear in mind that I don’t get to choose what Realms products will be released. As for the website, I can say that I haven’t written anything that will satisfy you for 2006 (and I don’t have a free hand to just write about any topic I want to). Live long, cultivate patience, and . . . you’ll end up like me. Or if you’re lucky, you won’t end up like me. :} Seriously, your query will serve as a reminder I can toss into the WotC pot, and we’ll just have to see what happens. As for your “quick info” request, I’ll see what I can do, but it won’t be quick. I’m booked solid up past GenCon already!
To Evro: Murray Leeder said far more than I could about Mythkar Leng and Lord Geildarr of Llorkh. (Ahem.) Don’t miss SON OF THUNDER, expected in January 2006!
So saith Ed. Whew! (Dusts off hands.) Much business dealt with; more on the morrow, fellow Realms scribes!
love,
THO
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2005 : 02:31:41
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quote:
Originally posted by The Hooded One
To Dargoth: I did up (2nd Edition) all sorts of faith-specific curses. Some were handed in to TSR and thus are behind the great NDA wall, but I’ll look through my notes and see what I can pass on here, okay?
Okay cool
You know it seriously makes me wonder how much unseen FR material is collecting dust at WOTC...to make matters worse theyve cut Champions of Ruin and City of Splendors (and assumably all future FR products) to 160 pages books
*Mutters dark foul oaths about WOTC management* |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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Verghityax
Learned Scribe
131 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2005 : 06:39:57
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Thank You, Dear Ed and Lady. I just curse those horrible NDA's. Do You know, by any chance, when this contract concerning Elturel expires? Nevertheless, for now I have to cancel the Elturel project, which brings me to the last Heartlands' great city that still needs proper care - Iriaebor. In this way I shall contribute to the ever-growing pile of Realms-queries 
What I would like to know is , just as with Elturel, where are placed all the locations apart from few of them that are marked on the Iriaebor's map in FRA. And here rolls the list:
1. Give Me Wings to Fly
2. The Well-Dressed Wizard
3. The Black Boar Inn
4. The Sign of the Dreaming Dragon
5. The Old Talking Ox
6. The Blacktalons Citadel
7. Shrine to Auril
8. Shrine to Lathander
9. Shrine to Talos
10. Shrine to Tempus
11. Shrine to Tymora
12. Night Skulls' headquarters
13. The Men of the Basilisk headquarters
14. House of Ambraddon
15. House of Nathlar
16. House of Prespos
17. House of Ahlimon
18. House of Piyarathur
19. House of Syntel
20. Thousandheads Trading Coster base
21. Dragoneye Dealing Coster base
And I beg of You, use the greatest spells and artifacts You know to prevent any attack of those malicious, widely feared creatures known as NDA's 
P.S. Long time ago Borch asked You about some additional info on Lathtarl's Lantern and Ed said that he needs Paul Culotta's adventure concerning the mentioned village. As a matter of fact I have recently laid my hands on Dungeon #64 and have got this adventure. I can scan the pages containing the needed info and send it to Ed, though I don't know how (and I could hardly call that a violation of law - giving info on the Realms to the Realms creator ). |
Edited by - Verghityax on 07 Mar 2005 15:46:06 |
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Haman
Seeker
USA
60 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2005 : 19:35:22
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quote:
Have you read Ed's short story Elmister at the Magefair (or some such, I'm bad at names and it's 2 in the night here) which appears in one of the Realms of... anthologies?
Yeah, I've read it (isn't it in the 1st one, Realms of Valor?), and I read up on them in 'Magic of Fareun', I was just looking for anymore details I could squeeze out of the Greenwood. THanks for the tips though, I appreciate it. |
Some people say we gamers have no lives....I think we have too many. |
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Mareka
Learned Scribe
Canada
125 Posts |
Posted - 07 Mar 2005 : 20:56:06
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| Yes indeed. 'Elminster at the Magefair' is in Realms of Valor. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2005 : 02:20:03
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Hello, scribes. Ed replies to Lameth (simontrinity, this reply touches on your Uttersea question, too):
I’m sorry, Lameth, but NDA concerns prevent me from telling you much of anything about the northern island of Gundarlun right now. I can say that the fierce warriors who dwell on this cold, mountainous island (warmed only by volcanic vents, in deep rifts beneath some of the caverns that underlie the oldest human settlements) were in the original Realms the closest thing I had to Vikings: raiders who fared forth in longships they could row if need be, to prey on coastal fishing villages of Ruathym, the wharves of Luskan, and merchant ships plying the northern waters of the Sword Coast.
Originally “Gundarlun” was just the name of the largest “city” (in the Heartlands it’d be a large village) on the island, a cluster of stern, spartan stone block houses with tile roofs, around a small natural harbor on the northern side of the island, but (as the folk of that place conquered all rivals on the island) it came to mean the entire isle, with “Gun-DAR-lun” meaning the island kingdom, and “GUN-dar-lun” meaning just the city.
The folk of Gundarlun are deepsea fishers (using both vast drift-nets and drag-nets, the latter often ‘run’ between two ships sailing abreast, to form a great scoop), and make their roofing, waterproofing, plumbing, and even some furniture of tile, digging out local seams of clay and firing them with great skill. Their island realm is rocky and windswept, with only a few meadows in the interior (in former volcanic basins, below the level of the surrounding rocks and the full fury of the sea winds). See “The North” boxed set for additional details, largely added by other designers.
The island of Tuern had scanty information in my original Realms. Basically, I knew this much: it was also mountainous, volcanic, and having one stone-fortress-and-cave ‘city’ (more of a town in size) human settlement, Uttersea, that had to be formidable to withstand the attacks of dragons dwelling on Tuern. Again, “The North” expanded slightly on this.
If you need more specific information on Gundarlun and/or Tuern, I’ll be happy to provide it, but you’ll have to be patient (it may take months before I can get to it), and you’ll have to be more specific as to exactly what you need. Otherwise, your request is a little bit like saying, “Tell me all about the world. Yes, everything.”
As for the Waterdeep novel: it certainly includes dragons as in the gold coins used in Waterdeep, and in one other way, too - - but I certainly hope its pages won’t also contain any of the ‘big winged wyrm’ sort of dragon: it’s crowded enough already! :}
So saith Ed. Who tells me the “final final” text of CITY OF SPLENDORS is now in the hands of Wizards of the Coast for editing, and that he’s pretty much run out of teasing little tidbits he can tell you about the novel, now, without giving the whole darn story away and violating his contract. So we’ll just have to wait . . . patiently (I know that’s hard, but pretend you’re spending the time in bed, with [fill in this space with personal preference]). There, that should make it easier.
love to all,
THO
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2005 : 05:02:09
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Ed
I have a questions with regard to a few places in Cormyr
What can you tell us about
Goldern Ruins
Tomb of Chonis
Dreamers Rock
"Unknown Shrine"
All are East of the Wyvernwater and west of the vast Swamp (At least they where Pre 3ed)
Thanks in advance
PS In the FRC theres a Dungeon known as the Tomb of the Archmage is this Shraevyns Tomb? (of The Sword of the Dales and Finders Bane Fame) |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
Edited by - Dargoth on 08 Mar 2005 05:08:31 |
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George Krashos
Master of Realmslore
Australia
6666 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2005 : 10:28:25
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They are places from the map provided in the 2E supplement "Cormyr". All undetailed in the actual product, of course!
I'd be interested to see what Ed thinks of them, or mayhap Garen Thal, our resident Cormyr expert. It might well be that they can ... *ahem* ... even make something up.
I have another smallish Realms query for Ed to add to the unending pile, which I thought other scribes may find useful.
I've always loved the FR11 Dwarves Deep product - one of my all-time favourites. But over the years, the tome has left me with a few queries:
1. The vocabulary list for 'dwarvish' has always been a fantastic resource but I was surprised that many words that say 'dwarf' to me were omitted. Some of these include: hammer, pick, helmet, armor (plate, chain etc.), dragon, (hob)goblin, giant, silver, mithral, adamantine and priest. I'm just wondering if there are any other dwarven words out there for us.
2. In the current clack section there is mention of an item: a glowhammer. Was this a typo for glowstone, or is it a magic item in its own right?
3. The write-up of Dareth, talks about shield dwarves of Delzoun travelling east to this realm because they "lived and mined the easternmost reaches (and) found themselves cut off from their brethren by the fall of Felbarr." Well, Felbarr never fell while Delzoun was still a kingdom (or did it?) and it's located on the 'western' side of Delzoun, not the east. Maybe they got cut off while working on the construction of Adbar in the Ice Mountains (the 'eastern' side of the realm). Clarification, please!
4. The write-up of the dwarven city of Earthfast notes that King Azoun has a long-standing treaty of alliance with the dwarves and is said to have helped them in the past. Without doubting Azoun's philanthropic nature, what ties could he have had with a dwarven city all the way across the Inner Sea, far away from his realm? And why would they be allies? Just curious ...
There you go, a couple of specific queries. Of course, if you feel like telling us "all about dwarves in the Realms", feel free.
-- George Krashos
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"Because only we, contrary to the barbarians, never count the enemy in battle." -- Aeschylus |
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EvilKnight
Learned Scribe
USA
162 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2005 : 14:31:03
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Yes, Yes! More info on Dwarves Deep. One of my favorites too! I tend to play dwarves just because of that suppliment. I even created a dwarven campaign once that never got off the ground with my group (didn't like having only southern dwarf as the pickable race to be).
That campaign also ties into my question of what the Korinn Archipelago is like because I have a lost part of a clan there that disappeared on their way to help establish Viledel the Sea King's hold on the islands (create his seat of power) over a hundred years ago. Anyway that is off topic. But any and all lore Ed wants to share on the southern dwarven culture would be great (family and clan wise). Maybe I can someday revive that campaign as an online one.
EvilKnight |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2005 : 14:52:33
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Ah,, yes, DWARVES DEEP. It has two typos that Ed always insists on fixing when he autographs copies at GenCon: “Rimmato” on the map should of course be “Rimmator,” and the other one concerns adamantite (the ore) and adamantine (the alloy made from it) on page 25, I believe; one word is incorrectly used in place of the other. I can’t get to my copy now, and it’ll be faster for me to just ask Ed.
Excellent questions, George, as always. I’ve e-flung them Ed’s way already, though it may be a little while ere he replies. In the meantime I can reply myself to your Azoun-alliance question, from our own Realmsplay experience: the alliance wasn’t military, it was trade-related: Azoun making sure the dwarves got a steady supply of textiles, leather, boots, foodstuffs, and tinctures, tisanes, and infusions that could be used in making dyes and medicines, in return for trade-bars of metal, valued at fair market prices (during times when some of the caravan-traders calling at the city were trying to ‘rig’ artificial shortages among themselves, and therefore outrageously high prices, while at the same time claiming overabundance of the metals elsewhere, and therefore offering lower exchange rates than usual.
We Knights got roped into this, of course; we’re not just pretty blades and spells.
love to all,
THO
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Garen Thal
Master of Realmslore
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2005 : 16:11:44
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Dreamer's Rock is a long, flat-topped hill on the North side of the Way of the Manticore, that also serves as shelter for a very poor hamlet. It is given detail (such as is necessary, that is) on page 78 of Volo's Guide to Cormyr.
The Unknown Shrine is, well, unknown. Likewise, it has not yet been revealed to us just who Chonis was, or what might leave Golden Ruins. I will speculate, if only briefly, that these three locales might have something to do with the Witch-Lords who operated so freely in this area some five centuries past (and that if Ed chooses not to reveal to much, it may be related to his previous "no, can't talk about that" Witch-Lord response).
Then again, I am ever filled with speculation. |
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Haman
Seeker
USA
60 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2005 : 20:48:33
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Hey Ed (And All),
I have a player that is playing a gold elf with the last name "Niedre", and I was wondering if you had any other information on the family, besides what is in "Elves of Evermeet FOR" and the "Cormanthyr" Accessory?
THanks for your time. |
Some people say we gamers have no lives....I think we have too many. |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2005 : 00:58:19
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Hello, all. Ed’s latest reply:
rjs, SiriusBlack has directed you to as much as any of us know about Castlemorn’s current status. I wrote three short stories, a LONG overview of the setting (plus gobs of additional detail on particular places), and drew a map. Jim Ward and Sean Everette (perhaps with assistance from others; I’m not sure) turned my raw, no-game-rules material into a d20 sourcebook, and Fast Forward sent me a fun Castlemorn boardgame for my approval (which I gave).
John Danovich of Studio 2 has inherited all the “getting it to market” headaches, and we’ll just have to see how and when it appears.
I can tell you that it is smaller in ‘compass’ (real estate and world-view) than the Realms, but is just as rich a setting, and could easily fit “on a neglected part of the globe of Toril” if a DM wants to add it to an established Realms campaign, or stand on its own just fine as the basis for a long-running D&D campaign.
So saith Ed. Slipping in Realms-relevance, of course.
love to all,
THO
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Dargoth
Great Reader
Australia
4607 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2005 : 02:10:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Garen Thal
Dreamer's Rock is a long, flat-topped hill on the North side of the Way of the Manticore, that also serves as shelter for a very poor hamlet. It is given detail (such as is necessary, that is) on page 78 of Volo's Guide to Cormyr.
The Unknown Shrine is, well, unknown. Likewise, it has not yet been revealed to us just who Chonis was, or what might leave Golden Ruins. I will speculate, if only briefly, that these three locales might have something to do with the Witch-Lords who operated so freely in this area some five centuries past (and that if Ed chooses not to reveal to much, it may be related to his previous "no, can't talk about that" Witch-Lord response).
Then again, I am ever filled with speculation.
Theres also a Temple of Chonis on Western side of the Stormhorn mountain range
Expanding on my theory that the Witchlords of Cormyr are related to the WitchKing of Vaasa Id be tempted to make the "unknown Shrine" a Temple of Orcus
The 2 Chonis sites intrigues me |
“I am the King of Rome, and above grammar”
Emperor Sigismund
"Its good to be the King!"
Mel Brooks |
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malchor7
Seeker
62 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2005 : 02:26:43
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Oh Hooded One,
If someone's asked these questions before, accept my apologies. I am but a lowly mage without the centuries of experience it would take to read 80 some odd pages of tattered parchment to discern the answer.
Would the all-knowing Ed happen to know (and be able to tell us) whether there are, or will be, any novels featuring Castellan Scyllua Darkhope, of Zhentil Keep fame? She was a new and welcome addition to 3e, and I've been on the lookout for a work of some scribe about her, but she seems doomed to (or blessed with) mystery.
Also, what's a Coronal? Is it like the elf equivalent of General, or is it a ruler?
My thanks,
malchor |
Edited by - malchor7 on 09 Mar 2005 23:07:07 |
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Blueblade
Senior Scribe
USA
804 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2005 : 14:41:47
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Dargoth, a temple of Orcus in Cormyr? Just sitting there, uninvestigated by the War Wizards (and Vangerdahast!!) and the Purple Dragons? The Highknights? The Harpers? Wandering Azoun in his youth, or Alusair more recently?
"Uh, pay no attention to yon Unknown Shrine. Nothing to see here, people, just move along . . . move along . . ."
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Ty
Learned Scribe
USA
168 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2005 : 18:50:42
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Speaking of Chronis...
Ms. THO,
A minor tug at your cloak here regarding a seconding of the information on the Temple of Chronis.. and of course, as a side question, Chronus, as described in the Four From Cormyr adventure. There was a vagabond/dastardly rogue-type that claimed to be the sole, living worshipper of the deity Chronus. Obviously such a person would be perfectly capable of lying to any curious sage but...
Is there any truth that a deity existed/exists in the realms named Chronus? I cannot recall for the life of me whether Mr. Greenwood was involved in the writing of Four From Cormyr but perhaps a little, unrushed question could be directed to him on our behalf for future reference when time allows?
Ah yes, and a third "Hear Hear" on the questions regarding Dwarves Deep from Krash. Ah, one manual I spent much time poring over... questions, questions. I'm sure Dargoth also looks forward to an answer given his unfortunate recent infestation with dwarves I so absent-mindedly foisted on him...  
Many thanks in advance for your and Mr. Greenwood's time. |
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ericlboyd
Forgotten Realms Designer
USA
2067 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2005 : 19:38:59
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Chronus was shoe-horned into an aspect of Labelas Enoreth (the elven god of time) in Demihuman Deities.
--Eric |
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http://www.ericlboyd.com/dnd/ |
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2005 : 22:49:14
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Ed,
I've been going through the NPC's in Volo's Guide to Cormyr and came upon a creature I don't recall ever seeing a descrip for. The werepegasus in Iyrytharna Dantras's entry in the back.
Care to expand on what a werepegasus looks like. Abilities it would have, etc? |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 10 Mar 2005 : 00:16:41
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Hi, fellow scribes. Ed speaks on matters Malaugrym:
zeathiel and Hoondatha, thank you for raising this always-fun topic! Let’s do the names first, and the critters second, okay?
The Malaugrym do have ‘family’ given names, being descended from Malaug (they call themselves ‘the Blood of Malaug,’ and that’s as close as they get to a surname). Feel free to coin new names, because the Malaugrym tend to be fertile, mate often, and often hide offspring from kin they dislike, so it’s always hard to pin down their exact numbers and genealogy, and I hope to keep it that way. Hoondatha, I just make ’em up! :} For those who find it hard to invent names, make a list of the existing relevant names (in this case, Malaugrym monikers), by gender, and note the lengths and dominant sounds in those names. Combine a few, and both write and say them aloud to make sure they don’t sound silly or inappropriate (unintentionally resembling something modern that ‘jolts’ you mentally out of the Realms, for example). There. Done. :}
Oh, ALL right, here are a few hitherto (young) unknown male Malaugrym: Aumkuel, Ithimar, Meirurr, Othlur, Rauthauk.
And here are a few ditto females: Lilaurauna, Maurmagh, Nresmue, Sesrune, Yathakla.
As for the Malaugrym themselves, THEY are (in most cases) well aware of the “true” genders of their kin, although they all assume any shapes they desire, and have no taboos against incest, physical self-love (easy for creatures who can ‘grow’ male and female ‘bits’ at will), changing gender repeatedly, and so on - - and are only wary of particular couplings or orgies in groups because of mistrust of particular kin (trying to harm, coerce, or murder them). They can be raped (with great difficulty) but can control fertilization (no unwanted pregnancies), and the males have to alter themselves with intense concentration over long periods of time to make their bodies ‘grow’ eggs that are fertile.
Outsiders are usually unaware of the mutable genders of Malaugrym; once they become aware, they’ll probably be uncertain of the gender of whomever they’re dealing with, and of course usually end up “knowing” disguises assumed by one (or more!) Malaugrym, and thinking of gender on the basis of these artificial personas. The Malaugrym have different attitudes towards gender than humans (read: it matters far less to them, socially), and don’t “think” of any of their kin in gender terms except the most stable-form elders (those who seemingly ‘never change gender’). With that said, most of them DO have ‘favourite genders’ that they ‘wear’ most of the time. Hoondatha, it need not be their original gender (some react strongly against being the females they were born as, because of their earliest years of hating domination of themselves and their mothers by dominant male Malaugrym, and some dominant male Malaugrym are sexually excited by submitting to weaker Malaugrym, and usually take on female forms to ‘enjoy’ this submission), but almost always is.
And yes, it’s “Malaugrym.” Certain recent human sages may have chosen to refer to them as “Malaugryms,” but no one cleared that fashion-change with the House of Malaug, believe me.
Hoondatha, thank you for the kind words about my Shadows of the Avatar books. I think the first book is the best-written (I had four months to do it in, instead of four or five weeks like the latter two), and although they still suffer from “wandering plot ends due to my writing too long” problems, and of course dovetail with the Avatar trilogy and suffer a lot from the “Huh? Why is ANY of this happening?” reaction if considered in isolation from those books, I still like them. The covers don’t thrill me, because I wanted to see Malaugrym in mid-shift (the sinister, beautiful human female casually sipping wine whilst her extremities reach around as tentacles to menace the human she’s dallying with, or a human noble in a fancy festing-hall, in mid-sword-swing battle against a Malaugrym, with the snarling Malaugrym growing fanged mouths on stalks, and splitting tentacles into half-a-dozen mini-tentacles to snatch down a huge array of trophy weapons from the nearest wall - - that sort of thing).
And as for your Magelord question: bingo. THANK you. I love it when I slip something into a book and someone figures it out. So, yes, ‘he was him.’ :}
So saith Ed. Who laughed aloud when I read him that question over the phone (before e-sending it in the usual way, of course). More lore to come in the days ahead, of course.
love to all,
THO
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Melfius
Senior Scribe
USA
516 Posts |
Posted - 10 Mar 2005 : 23:40:37
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Can I get some information - ANY information - on the city of Dolblunde. I know it was a deep gnome city, and now fallen. When was it founded/destroyed? Who did it? Does anyone live there now?
Help? |
Melfius, Pixie-Priest of Puck - Head Chef, The Faerie Kitchen, Candlekeep Inn
"What's in his pockets, besides me?"
Read a tale of my earlier days! - Happiness Comes in Small Packages |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2005 : 00:46:51
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Hello, fellow scribes. Ed makes reply to Mr. Wilson, in his query about Breeandra and Ambreeauta Nenthyn of the Fall of Stars in Harrowdale:
Another of the “I like” questions. Thank you. :}
(And no, as far as I know, this matter has never been answered by anyone before.) Glad you like the idea of the Fall of Stars; I think it would make a great setting for a campaign or a series of novels (hint hint hint).
Yes, I did mean to “show a different side of Loviatar” with this mother and daughter, one hitherto glossed over for TSR code of Ethics/WotC Code of Conduct reasons, but alluded to in FAITHS AND PANTHEONS: “give pain and torment to those who enjoy it.”
Breeandra and Ambreeauta are this sort of Loviatar worshipper: those who like to feel pain, and out of this enjoyment, are willing to inflict pain on others who share their tastes. In short, loving masochists. (Who may be of any alignment, and usually worship Loviatar ‘on the side.’)
Breeandra and Ambreeauta admire adventurers (they’re “fans,” if you will) as folk who brave danger and the unknown (but likely unsafe and uncomfortable) out of some inner need or restlessness - - that they share. Hence the founding of the Fall of Stars.
Breeandra is an example of someone who was reared in such thinking (though her spirit of character is such that she’d certainly have repudiated it if she didn’t feel this way herself) by her mother.
Ambreeauta never married, but was a fiercely independent, free-wheeling adventuress who took all manner of lovers, and retired from adventuring when the mate she’d chosen to settle down with (Breeandra’s father) was killed in an adventure that went awry (Breeandra had JUST been conceived).
Breeandra and Ambreeauta do also both worship Tymora and Sune, as well as venerating Tempus and Waukeen, and aren’t priestesses of Loviatar. Nevertheless, they regard her as their ‘true’ deity. (Ilmater they respect, but don’t worship in any way; worship of the Broken One is for those who hate, fear, or are repelled or sickened by pain, but undergo it anyway - - not for those who derive any enjoyment from it. A devout follower of Ilmater often derives pride from his or her endurance of pain, but to enjoy pain is wrong to that faith.)
Ambreeauta is of course now undead and beyond character stats, and an NDA prevents me from saying too much about her, I’m afraid, but I’d place her as NG and Breeandra as CG, and see Breeandra as this: CG female human Ftr1/Sor1 (largely inexperienced, but not untrained, thanks to the clientele of the Fall of Stars). To add one last hint, I’d say she has a future ahead of her that we may all know more about in time to come.
So saith Ed. Interesting. VERY interesting. To confirm (I asked Ed this): no, neither Ambreeauta nor Breeandra are, or ever have been, priestesses of Loviatar. They’re worshippers, plain and simple. Also, I recall from Realmsplay that Breeandra is bisexual, but her mother (the floating skull, remember) is scornfully sarcastic in her disapproval of Breeandra making love to other women, openly preferring that her daughter consort just with men—and commenting as much, ‘during the fun.’ Whilst Torm sits there bright-eyed, drinking in every word. I still chuckle at Ed roleplaying some of their rather tart exchanges.
love to all,
THO
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Rinonalyrna Fathomlin
Great Reader
USA
7106 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2005 : 01:37:25
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| Wow, that was interesting. I must admit, I'm always fascinated by goodly people who worship evil deities, and have sound reasons to do so. I'm pleased to hear that we will likely see more of those characters. |
"Instead of asking why we sleep, it might make sense to ask why we wake. Perchance we live to dream. From that perspective, the sea of troubles we navigate in the workaday world might be the price we pay for admission to another night in the world of dreams."
--Richard Greene (letter to Time) |
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Mr. Wilson
Seeker
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2005 : 01:48:42
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Wow! What an amazing revelation!
Thank you greatly. |
"I've got a plan..."- Dan
"Nothing good has ever come after those four words." - Jesse |
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Skeptic
Master of Realmslore
Canada
1273 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2005 : 03:17:55
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Hi,
Like I have said in Sage of Realmslore, In the North box set (and many other 2E source), it is said about Luskan : "In fact, anyone who doesn't appear to be pure human can expect to be slain on sight"
But.. In a "recent" article on WOTC website about a Moonstar portal in Luskan, they talk of a LG dwarven semi-retired avendurer that run a shop there and take a look to the activities of the Arcane Brotherhood for the Moonstars. Some have also pointed to the Drizzt's books.
So, does Luskan "killing non-human on sight" policy have soften a bit during the last years? |
Edited by - Skeptic on 11 Mar 2005 03:18:51 |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2005 : 14:44:01
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Oh, dear. I’d forgotten about that little lore problem. It arose out of editing, and is an over- simplification.
Let me try to set things straight. Here are Ed’s words, from a note of to me his last year:
There’s a strong xenophobic streak in Luskan (that really began as an anti-dwarves, anti-elves, and of course anti-orcs) thas led to various administrations there, over the years, “banning” people who didn’t look to be pure human from MOST of Luskan (the ‘docks’ of the port proper always excluded, because discouraging mixed-blood crews means ships stay away and Neverwinter takes over as the dominant port in the area).
This “non-humans keep out” rule has waxed and waned over the years, but has steadily lost public support. Half-bloods (even half-orcs!) have been openly tolerated for years. The Arcane Brotherhood tried to revive banning non-humans for their own purposes (allowing them to arrest, imprison, and confiscate all goods and property for their own enrichment), but this heavy-handed action, seen for what it really was by the cynical populace (increasing numbers of whom are relying on the dwarf-borne wealth coming from Mirabar), was the last straw. Non-humans are banned in Luskan no longer. In certain places and situations they may still get beaten up, mind you . . .
So there you have it.
love to all,
THO
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Taelohn
Acolyte
36 Posts |
Posted - 11 Mar 2005 : 19:06:07
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On a similiar note to the recent question about "what reactions do planetouched people cause in most folk", I was wondering if that inquiry could be expanded to the more drastically different half-fiends and half-celestials. Surely they'd be far more rare, but those aasimar and tieflings have to come from somewhere...
I'd imagine they'd mostly keep to themselves or travel under magical disguises, espically the half-fiends - if such a being showed up in Waterdeep for instance, wings, horns, fangs and all, would the guards (or even citizens) try to capture or even attack it on the spot? Or would they just keep a very close eye on everything it did?
If an undisguised half-celestial (angelic wings and all) showed up in a similiar place, what reaction would it get? Would such an appearance be rare/unheared of enough to shock and awe the citizens there, or would it be treated as just another "outlander"? Would many people realize what it was, or could it get away with passing itself off as a deity (or trusted servant thereof) if it so attempted? |
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The Hooded One
Lady Herald of Realmslore
5056 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2005 : 01:11:54
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Hello, all. Ed of the Greenwood herewith makes reply to kuje31 re. this: “So what can you tell us about Dessra of the Dark Desires?”
Hi, kuje. Dessra was of course left as cryptic as possible because of TSR’s Code of Ethics.
All most folk of Waterdeep know of her is that she’s “A dangerous lady-of-pleasure who can work dark magics for you.”
She attracts clients with her reputation for enjoying sex (with them) and willingness to use sex magic (in which they participate) to further their ends (the goals they hire her to help them accomplish).
The “dark” part of it comes from the purported danger of what’s being done (Dessra pretends to clients that she’s calling up “evil spirits” to help enact their aims, that this is risky to her but not to them, and that she’s quite willing to do illegal and murderous things). She surrounds her ‘rituals’ with an air of mystery and with lots of ‘stage dressing’ (black cats, candles, dark cloaks, dimly-lit stone chambers, blood that she dyes and doctors with substances that will make it glow or smoke upon air contact, so she can pass it off as the blood of various monsters, her nudity, and so on) . . . all of which brings her a steady stream of excited, malicious clients, mainly merchants who want to “get back at” a rival whom they can’t or daren’t “use the law on.”
Dessra’s personal defenses include foot-treadle-fired hand crossbows concealed about her chambers and aimed at various doorways and chairs, and long false nails; when these sheaths slide off, they lay bare her own nails, which are cut to points and smeared with paralyzing (carrion crawler brain juice) and sleep (drow) poisons (both of which Dessra is now immune to, having successfully dosed herself with them for years, in ever-increasing dosages, in conjunction with spells cast on herself, to achieve this effect).
Dessra briefly tried a career as an adventuress, and took training with longsword and dagger, but abandoned this swiftly when she discovered that Undermountain was truly dangerous, and wasn’t a-glitter with heaps of gold coins slumping out of chests in every other room. Because she enjoyed sex and happened to be beautiful, she took up prostitution as a working lass at the Purple Palace, trying to ‘set herself apart’ from the outset (so as to gain fame and commander higher fees) with her ‘dark magic’ act.
That act grew out of something she hadn’t yet realized or started to develop (at the time Volo did the tour that grew into VOLO’S GUIDE TO WATERDEEP): she does have a natural talent for the Art, and may in time build herself into a powerful sorceress.
So the Volo’s stat line: “CN hf F2, Dex 16, Cha 16” was current for Dessra as a fighter (she was included therein because she briefly advertised herself as a bodyguard for hire - - for fat merchants who really wanted ‘show flesh’ in the form of a scantily-dressed trophy on their arms at feasts and revels, rather than real protection - - and so could very easily have come into contact [ahem, so to speak] with PCs adventuring in Waterdeep).
She should now more accurately be, in v3.5 terms: CE female human Ftr2/Sor2, Dex 16, Cha 17.
This reflects her moral shift, her development as a sorceress, her magical augmentation of her beauty, and her deliberate change in her manner to be more alluring and mysterious and commanding.
Those who deal with her should bear in mind that she has the Silent Spell and Still Spell feats, and so can work magic without all of her ‘show’ rituals of candles lit on her breasts, floggings of her until her blood flows (and can be directed, drop by drop, into chalices), and so on. Dessra isn’t interested in leaving the Purple Palace to go on adventures or for anything else (she feels, ahem, naked without her defensive traps and weapons). She has a few clients who are minor sorcerers, and pay for their pleasure with her by discussing spells (guiding her practise and development).
So saith Ed. Who sent this to me with the note: “I KNOW you’ll not be able to resist commenting on this one!”
He’s right, of course. We Knights only met Dessra once, in her “I’ll be your bodyguard for your friends to ogle” phase. Torm ‘met’ her a second time, rather more closely than the rest of us: skulking through a secret passage trying to find a way to eavesdrop on a certain ‘shady business’ meeting between five Waterdhavian merchants, he found a spyhole-panel, cautiously slid it open, looked up—and discovered he was right underneath a ankle-length-gowned lady who, as he put it, “Wasn’t wearing anything under her gown.” He later explained his long, silent staring by claiming that he “could see a lot of what was going on” from that vantage-point.
[sarcasm on]
I’m sure he could.
[sarcasm off]
Oh, yes: mindful of his previous reply, I asked Ed if Dessra took clients of both genders. He said yes, but she vastly preferred males (elves, half-elves, and humans).
love to all,
THO
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Kuje
Great Reader
USA
7915 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2005 : 01:28:26
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| Thanks Ed. :) |
For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet and excite you... Books are full of the things that you don't get in real life - wonderful, lyrical language, for instance, right off the bat. - Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium |
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Melfius
Senior Scribe
USA
516 Posts |
Posted - 12 Mar 2005 : 02:03:29
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| Ed, if you're ever in the Cleveland area, let me know. I'd love to take you out to dinner in thanks for all you've done here in Candlekeep, and for all of the Realms players. If there was a Nobel Prize for imagination, you should get two of them. |
Melfius, Pixie-Priest of Puck - Head Chef, The Faerie Kitchen, Candlekeep Inn
"What's in his pockets, besides me?"
Read a tale of my earlier days! - Happiness Comes in Small Packages |
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Questions for Ed Greenwood (2005)
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